Driver who left injured cyclist at side of road escapes driving ban

Incident date:

Thu, 28 Jun 2012

The motorist who was not aware he had struck a cyclist, leaving him injured and lying in the road, after a collision on Long Hill, has escaped a driving ban despite already having 10 points on his licence before the collision.

ennifer Fitzgerald, prosecuting, said a road traffic collision took place on June 28 at about 6.45pm on Long Hill, close to Cold Springs Farm, involving a BMW driven by Alan Nicholas Singleton and pedal cyclist Matthew Bailey.

Mr Bailey, who was found lying in the road, suffered only minor injuries and was taken to Stepping Hill Hospital. His bicycle, which cost £1,000 to buy two years earlier, was extensively damaged.

Singleton, 48, of Chapel Road, Whaley Bridge, admitted driving without due care and attention, and failing to stop after an accident.

Ms Fitzgerald said the defendant stated a vehicle travelling in front of him came to a stop which caused him to swerve around and collide with the vehicle, knocking his wing mirror off.

“The defendant accepts he did not immediately stop at the scene but went home and did report the matter to the police.”

John Bunting, defending, said Singleton had no recollection of hitting, colliding with or seeing the cyclist.

He said Singleton had swerved to avoid a car in front and unfortunately the cyclist had been “in the wrong place at the wrong time”.

With ten points on his licence the court heard Singleton faced a driving ban, but an argument was put forward that it would cause exceptional hardship.

Mr Bunting said Singleton was self-employed, travelling around the UK working on computerised machinery, and needed to be able to drive to carry out that role.

Magistrates imposed nine penalty points on his licence but accepted a driving ban would cause exceptional hardship to him and his family. Singleton was ordered to pay fines, costs and a government surcharge totalling £815.